Roman master; 18th century. "St. Joseph of Cupertino, levitating in front of Pope Urban VIII". Oil on canvas.

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OLD MASTERS

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Oct 20, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-10-20 07:30:00 2021-10-20 07:30:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : OLD MASTERS https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/setdart-auction-house/old-masters-7700
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• Lot Description
  Roman master; 18th century. "St. Joseph of Cupertino, levitating in front of Pope Urban VIII". Oil on canvas. Presents walls and extensions on the sides, with canvas and original warped frame. Measures: 224 x 172 cm. In this devotional scene is represented the levitation of the friar San José de Cupertino, in front of the Pope Urbano VIII, which is recognized by the presence of the emblem of the bee, located in the sofa where he is seated. Symbol of the Barberini family to which the pontiff belonged. Regarding the Saint, Joseph Cupertino, he was a friar from Naples, belonging to the Franciscan order. As a child, he began to experience ecstatic visions, which continued throughout his life, and made him an object of scorn. He tried on several occasions to enter religious life, but was rejected on numerous occasions, until he was admitted by the Franciscans as early as 1625. During his religious life, he was known for his ability to enter into ecstasy and to levitate, being removed from the choir by his superiors, due to the frequency with which these "miracles" occurred. After the diffusion of these facts, his credibility was questioned, and he was accused of swindling, so much so that he was sent to Rome, in front of Pope Urban VIII. It was in this meeting between the two that the saint again entered into ecstasy and levitated, so that not only the Pope believed him, but also Prince John Frederick, Duke of Brunswixk-Lüneburg, at that time a Protestant, who decided to convert to Catholicism. In this particular scene, the saint is placed in the center of the composition, accompanied by a group of small angels, arranged above his head. In the earthly part of the scene, the Pope, elevated on his throne with respect to the rest of the characters, contemplates the scene in surprise, as well as the group of religious that complete the image. By the disposition of the characters, added to the golden tonality of the atmosphere that surrounds the scene, and the magnitude of the architecture, the scene stands out for the great theatricality with which the subject has been treated. A characteristic of the Catholic religious painting of the time, influenced by the ideals of the reform, which tried to surprise the faithful and bring them closer to the magnificence of a church in full decadence.
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